TrackTown USA Bypasses Bidding Process, Wins 2021 IAAF World Championships
American track and field fans woke up to an unexpected, pleasant surprise on Thursday. Track's world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, in an impromptu landslide vote, awarded the 2021 IAAF World Outdoor Championships to Eugene, Oregon, according to the IAAF.org.
Almost as surprising as the announcement itself was its unusual path of accomplishment—bypassing the bidding process entirely with a special secret vote. Needless to say, protest broke out immediately, especially from representatives of Goteborg, Sweden, who had been preparing a bid.
However, the news brought a measure of redemption to TrackTown USA, the bidding agency that led the fight in a close, losing battle last November with Doha, Qatar, for the hosting rights to the 2019 Worlds. It also brought a sense of justice to longtime U.S. fans who had been denied a home-field venue for track and field's biennial showcase since the inception of the World Championships in 1983.
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The award represents the third and most-prized international jewel in TrackTown's crown. In 2014, Eugene hosted the IAAF World Junior (under 20) Championships. Eugene's big sister, Portland, is preparing for the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, which are scheduled for next March.
The University of Oregon's famous Hayward Field is the centerpiece of Eugene's welcome to the world. But in order to accommodate the 2021 Worlds, the iconic structure will need to be upgraded to a 30,000-plus capacity. Tentative plans are to begin that work immediately following another TrackTown USA event, the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
The IAAF's controversial no-bid decision was justified by a so-called "precedent" in 2002 when Osaka, Japan, was chosen by default to host the 2007 World Championships after Budapest and Berlin withdrew their bids before the bidding window closed.
The transcript of a teleconference detailing the events leading to Thursday's vote from TrackTown USA's perspective is available here.
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